LIMOGES RESIDENT WAITED 25 MINUTES FOR AMBULANCE FOLLOWING HUSBAND’S HEART ATTACK "$56"-*5 4r/&84
of the UCPR’s emergency services, there are 11 emergency vehicles covering more 2,002 square kilometres, serving more than 100,000 people. Prescott-Russell emer- gency services operate seven ambulances around the clock, 365 days per year. Two more ambulances are available seven days a week from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m. Monday to Sundays, in addition to two paramedic response units patrolling the areas. However, the ambulances are also res- ponding to calls for support in neighbouring communities in the United Counties of Stor- mont, Dundas and Glengarry and Ottawa. In 2023, Prescott-Russell emergency services answered more than 15,000 calls in 2023, with more than 20 per cent, over 3,000, of those calls coming from neighbou- ring communities. Adding to the wait times is the hospitals capacity to take new patients and the avai- lability of emergency department beds, a problem faced by emergency rooms across the province. Paramedics cannot leave a patient they have transported to the hospi- tal before the emergency department can receive them, forcing the ambulance to stay in the ambulance bay with the patient. «The paramedics arrive at the emergency room, go see the triage nurse and then as soon as they have a bed they can clear the stretcher and then come back to the United Counties of Prescott and Russell,» said Périard. Causing additional delays, under the cur- rent system, 9-1-1 calls are either classified as an emergency that requires an ambulance with lights or without lights, with no distinc- tion of the severity between the two. «As a result, as soon as an ambulance is free, it has to be sent out on a call that may not be critical. Then a critical call comes in, and that person must wait longer than they should.” Changes coming During the next UCPR council meeting on 8FEOFTEBZ .BSDI UIFJNQMFNFOUBUJPO of a new call prioritization system will be presented which aims to allow dispatchers to gather more information to assess the severity of the emergency and to assign resources to the most critial patients. The new call prioritization system is expected to be fully implemneted by April 10, 2024. “It’s more effective and it’s more effi- cient,” said Périard. He recommends that if people have any concerns or if the service is not up to stan- dard, they need to reach out to their elected members of municipal council to help make the system better.
In a world where costs seem to be skyrocketing, dental care is unfortunately no exception. The question of how to finance this care becomes crucial. Here are practical tips to help you develop a financial plan for your dental care, because anticipating and managing these costs can make all the difference. The first step in preventing dental care from becoming an overwhelming financial burden is preventive planning. You know that dental care will be needed every year, so why not anticipate these costs? Establish a monthly budget dedicated to dental care. Start modestly with $50 to $100 a month, adjusting this amount according to your age and the potential severity of upcoming treatments. This proactive approach will enable you to gradually build up the necessary funds. This is exactly what dental insurance does, except they don’t give it all back. If, unfortunately, you find yourself in a situation where dental care is urgent, but the savings aren’t there, consider a line of credit. Although this requires a little more up front work with the bank to set up, a line of credit can offer competitive interest rates and flexibility in managing the cost of care. It’s a solution that allows you to get the treatment you need while spreading payments over a longer period. Few people realize that certain dental expenses are tax-deductible. Depending on your income, this could mean a significant deduction, reducing the financial burden. Although this option requires you to find the funds in advance, it can considerably lighten the total burden. Consult a tax professional to understand how this may apply to your particular situation. Financing dental care may seem like a challenge, but smart, early planning can make it more manageable. Set up a dedicated budget, explore credit options carefully and consider potential tax benefits. An open dialogue with your dental professional can also provide vital information on future costs. By planning conscientiously, you can not only ensure quality dental care, but also preserve your long-term financial health. Don’t wait until dental problems become urgent; prepare yourself financially for a smiling future. Nicholas Fournier, DD Financing Dental Care
Un habitant de Limoges, victime d’une crise cardiaque, a attendu une ambulance pendant 25 minutes. Plus de 20 % des appels de service pour les services d’urgence de Prescott-Russel en 2023 concernaient des communautés situées à l’extérieur des CUPR. (Photo d’archives)
GABRIELLE VINETTE gabrielle.vinette@eap.on.ca
IPVTFBGUFSUIFDBMMDBNFGSPN&NCSVO a village about 10 kilometres from where Lajoie lives. Many people in the comments of the post shared similar experiences. -BKPJFUBHHFEUIFNBZPSPG5IF/BUJPO Francis Brière on the post. Answering Lajoie through direct message on Facebook, the major said he would “bring it to the attention of the staff member responsible for the ambulance service of the county.” “Our current agreement with the city of Ottawa is one that simply doesn’t work for us in Prescott-Russell as the city ends up using our ambulances because of the current system in place,” he added. “I don’t know if he can really do any- thing or not,” said Lajoie in response to the NBZPSTNFTTBHFi8IZTIPVME*XBJUPWFS minutes for an ambulance? It seems to me that we should have services a little faster UIBOUIBU8FTIPVMEMPPLBUIPXUPJNQSPWF the entire service because it’s doesn’t meet the community’s needs anymore.” UCPR paramedics supporting Ottawa emergency services According to Marc-André Périard, director
Limoges resident who waited 25 mintues for paramedics after her husband had a heart attack is questioning whether Prescott-Russell’s emergency services meet the needs of community, as ambu- lances are often sent to support Ottawa and other neighbouring municipalities. Micheline Lajoie, a 59-year-old resident of Limoges, called 9-1-1 at 9:09 p.m. from IFSIPNFPO#FBWFS-BOFJO5IF/BUJPOGPS her husband who was having a heart attack. The Prescott-Russell paramedic services ambulance arrived at 9:33 p.m., 25 minutes later. They arrived at the Ottawa Hospital at 10:20 p.m. Thankfully, Lajoie’s husband, &NJMF-BKPJF NBEFJUUPUIFIPTQJUBMPO time to receive appropriate care. The next day, Lajoie posted to Facebook expressing her anger towards the time she had to wait to get an ambulance. “The paramedic told us we were lucky as they had spent most of the evening answe- ring calls in Ottawa,” she wrote in the post. The ambulance who had showed up at her
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